ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the concept of participation by reviewing both its positive and negative implications in the context of development projects in the Third World. An examination of the development strategies of several developing countries reveals that most plans are formalistic documents that are totally ignored by the agencies responsible for implementing them. The planning ministries of these countries generally pursue a "project-by-project" approach with several of the projects related neither to the national development plan nor to each other. Despite the obvious deficiency of the national planning agencies, "bottom up" planning is advocated as an ideal approach to development in these same countries. There are two forms of participative planning and management; one induces participation and the other merely encourages that suggestions for program operations be expressed. Participative planning and management often results in a complex scale of activities and organization, so that people without sophisticated management training can work together.
